From Heaven, With Love
by klcm
Summary: While out with Morgan, Garcia finds herself faced with the wrong idea of heaven a little too soon...
1. Edge of Heaven

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds!**

**A/N: **_So Emzypemzy got me to post this before I intended to... this is a little idea that popped into my head while eating breakfast at a friend's house, as you do! Lol I hope you like, and be prepared for what's in store..._

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

_I cannot believe I just missed that_, Penelope thought as she watched the speeding car carry on its journey down the street. _Too close for your liking, Penelope_. She carried on her thought. She looked herself up and down; taking a quick moment to make sure everything on her was still intact and every limb was still attached.

"Phew," she breathed out as her head came out. "You live to fight another day, Penelope," she spoke to herself assertively.

However, as the conscious thought settled, she heard commotion from behind her and swiftly turned to assess what was going on. After all, she was fine. The first thing she noticed was Derek, then she noticed the hysteria around him.

Penelope looked down at where Derek was, wondering why he'd be on the ground, shouting instructions when she was stood out of the way slightly shook up by that near accident. Her eyes dropped as his panic rose and she saw for herself what the commotion was all about.

Derek was leaning over her unconscious and blooded body. Willing her with his words to wake up and talk to him, to look at him.

Choking on a half sob, Penelope stepped back panicky. She couldn't bear to look at her body, but at the same time she was compelled to watch herself.

"C'mon, Baby Girl," Derek said desperately as he cradled her hand into his chest, his hand threaded within her fingers, "Open those gorgeous eyes and just look at me. Please, Penelope." He looked up at the shocked bystanders, "Someone get an ambulance!" He screamed at them, trying to spark some life into them.

Standing aghast just behind the crowd, Penelope made her way forward slowly. She had to try to get Derek to notice her, to witness her presence hanging around. She had to give him the hope that she was going to survive this, that she was going to make it out the other side.

She stopped in her tracks as someone ran through her and the shock registered ever so slowly all over again. If they hadn't seen her how the hell was Derek meant to? Feeling her body race with emotions she ran to Derek, dodging people as if she were human and there with them.

"Derek!" She shouted at him, leaning down to his level. "Derek! I'm here. I'm right next to you," she shouted in his ear. "Just hear me, please, believe me that I'm going to wake up. I don't know when or how, but I am."

Penelope shot up when she heard the oncoming sirens of an ambulance and she took a few steps back as the straggling public separated, ready to allow the EMTs in and Derek was asked to hand over Penelope's name while quickly saying what had happened. He was then forced to move away as Penelope was swamped with the EMTs work.

Taking a spot next to Derek, she stood and watched as her body was covered with wires and gauzes and pressure bandages. Her body had gone from being a blooded mess, to being almost mummified and the realisation of the situation only grew and manifested.

Penelope was in deep trouble at that moment.

"I'm riding with her," Derek said as he stepped forward to calm his spot. He had watched them work to stabilise her and now after watching her get laid on the stretcher he wanted to not be separated from her again. "You gotta let me ride with her."

"Sorry, Sir, but we need to get Miss Garcia to the hospital as soon as. Your presence in the back of the bus could hinder any procedures that might need to be carried out." The chief EMT apologised, "I can only suggest you get to the hospital and wait on news." He said sadly and then rushed after as the ambulance readied to leave.

Penelope watched the ambulance drive away, leaving Derek standing on the side lines watching it disappear. She walked up to him and rested her hand on his shoulder the best she could. "It's got to be okay," she whispered as she felt herself breaking with Derek. "This can't be it."

When the ambulance was gone from sight, Derek began to bolt towards where he had parked before he and Penelope had gone to lunch. Penelope went to follow but found her feet completely glued to the concrete below her.

She tried to move them as a different light shrouded her body and caused her to shy away from it. She knew something wasn't completely normal now.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Being blinding by a bright light, Penelope panicked a little as she continually shielded her eyes from the brightness. Wincing from the glare of it, she felt her body being pulled and worried that this was it, the walking into the light. She wasn't ready to leave this world, to leave Derek. However, it seemed by some twist of fate her presence was requested somewhere else by some higher being. She couldn't fight the powerful pull for too long. She had to go and see what awaited her. If it was the end of her life, she would beg for another try.

"Open your eyes, Penny," she heard a sweet voice and Penelope responded to the command.

The moment her eyes latched onto the source of the voice, Penelope jolted backwards. She didn't want to believe this to be true, because if it was, then the dread in the pit of her stomach was there for a good reason.

"Wha-what the hell is this?" Penelope asked and then shook her head. "Actually I don't want to know. I want to go home," She told them and turned away, going to try and go back the way she was pulled from, but it was just pure whiteness all around her.

"Penelope," The other voice came, deep and commanding, "You need to listen to us." He continued, "Turn around and we can help you."

Slowly Penelope turned to face her parents and gulped deeply. "Wh-where am I?"

Stepping closer, her mother, Rachel, spoke to her. "You're in limbo, Sweetie," her mom told her as she guided her over to a seat. "Me and your father are here purely to help assist you how you need it. We're here to help."

"I don't need help, I need to go back," Penelope struggled to digest the existence of her mother and father in front of her. Her eyes were slowly filling up with tears and her last nerve was dispersing.

"Honey," Her dad's calming tone came to break her breakdown. "We're your guardian angels; we always have been, but right now, our duty is to help you with the transition between this world and _that_ world."

"_That_ world is where I'm meant to be," Penelope began to sob, "Things were just starting to change. I was finally going to tell the man I'm in love with that I'm in love with him. I mean," she let out a shaky breath, "There has to be something that I can do."

"There's something," Her mother spoke softly to her immediately, taking her hand.

"Rach, not yet," Penelope's dad, Richard, said, stalling the moment, "That's not how we were meant to do this."

"Do what?" Penelope asked suddenly, "What is there?"

Penelope watched her parents shoot accusatory glares at one another until her father caved and took her hand to gain her attention. "In moments like this, you're allowed to have five moments, five memories, from your life that you would relive again."

"You're allowed to change any moment of these to whatever you want to," Penelope's mom continued the information. "You can do things differently; you can do things the same. It is your choice entirely."

"What's the catch?" Penelope asked quickly, "There's always a catch."

Penelope's father sighed, "First you need to go back there and face your reality. Once you have accepted your fate then you can go on to the reliving stage. You only get this option when there's nothing else left to do."

Letting the tears fall down her face unashamedly, Penelope nodded. This was her last chance to get what she had always wanted. It was her last chance to feel things she wanted to feel forever. This was her chance to get her goodbye. "I'll do it."

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	2. Finding Acceptance

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds!**

**A/N: **_So I'm out to break hearts here... I'm not holding promises for anyone here =/ However, I hope you like what's to come and enjoy!_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope looked around at the new place and tried to take in the new hustle and bustle of the hospital around her. She heard her name be called out and followed where it had come from. She rounded a corner and was confronted with the team, Derek looking distraught on the side.

She hurried her steps, needing to know what was being said.

"I'm sorry I can't offer you better news than this," The doctor told them, "She's done well lasting this long with that amount of damage but I'm afraid her body won't last with the trauma."

"She's dying." Derek asked as tears fell down his face. "She's dying in there isn't she?"

"I'm afraid so," He told them all, "It's your choice entirely as her next of kin to turn off the life support, or you can let her body decide when it's time. That way you can have a couple of more days with her."

Hotch looked around at his team, each of them withdrawn into their own grief, and then his eyes glued to Derek. He saw a response to all of this that he had felt when Haley was killed by Foyet and he knew what he was going to say wasn't morally right where Penelope was concerned, but Derek needed some time. He _needed_ the time. "We'll keep her on the life support."

"Okay," the doctor said and realised that Hotch had made his decision based on some logic that worked for them. "I'll let the nurses know who will be in the room with Ms. Garcia." He told them, and left them with his sincerest condolences.

Penelope looked at the team and couldn't help but cry. Her death was causing them so much pain that she wanted to take it away and never let it return to either of them. This was becoming harder and harder by the second to find acceptance. She decided to follow the doctor and she found her room easily.

Standing by the doorway, she slowly took the remainder steps and walked to her own bedside.

Looking down at herself, she finally realised just how serious this had all become. Here she was, her breath stolen away and her body now worked with artificial air from a machine, if that was turned off then so was her life completely. She touched her own hand and felt its coolness and wondered if this was death in all its ironic beauty.

She stood there and ignored the team as they all filtered in and surrounded her and she didn't even tire when they were made to leave and the sun set quickly before rising again.

That next morning though, she sat on the chair opposite the door, and watched as Derek walked in and quickly held onto her hand and spoke at her, kissed her gently, willed her to just survive this. She could see he had barely rested since she was hit by that car, and she could tell he wasn't making any plans to leave today.

"Prove them wrong, Baby," He told her quietly, "Wake up for me. I remember what you said before you went to cross that road. I need you to wake up so those big changes between us can happen."

Wiping the tears that fell, Penelope knew neither her nor Derek would heal entirely from this. Even heaven wouldn't bring her that peace, but Penelope had to let him go, she had to go onto the next stage to relieve Derek of this. She had to let him let her go.

"Remember yesterday, before this all happened," He continued talking to her, "I wanted to kiss you so bad, but you had to go over the road to the shoe sale while we were waiting on our lunch. You and your crazy passion for fashion, P," he teased her brokenly. "I had something for you," he mentioned and then went into his pocket and grabbed something. "It's a Morgan heirloom, an eternity ring. I planned to give you it and tell you that I was in love with you and I might not do it right the first time, but I have my whole life ahead of me to love you how you deserve to be loved, Penelope. Just give me a chance."

Closing her eyes, Penelope chose to block out this, to stop the pain from cascading her heart anymore, she needed to remember yesterday, how all this came to happen. How things transcended from the utmost glorious to the downright evil.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"_You got a little something," Derek said and reached to wipe the end of her nose._

_Penelope giggled as an embarrassed blush flew across her cheeks. "Oops," she said and wiped her nose just in case anything of her drink was left on her nose._

"_You're adorable," He told her as he watched her react._

_Tilting her head at him, she smiled coyly, "And you're hot, Mr. God," she told him in return and watched him laugh a little. _

"_You're priceless, Baby Girl," he replied without a lie to it. "So, why are we doing lunch like this?"_

"_Like what?" she asked him, "We always do lunch when we can," she responded a little confused as to why he was questioning it. Really, she had gotten him out to lunch to tell him why she had been changing towards him, why she was finding it hard to be around him as much. She was in love with him and she owed it to herself to let him know. To tell him the depth of her heart and to tell him what she saw every time she looked at him._

"_Our lunches are becoming everyday occurrences," he answered, breaking into her thoughts._

"_You say that like it's a problem, Agent Morgan."_

"_No problem, just one of the best changes to happen," He replied and took her hand in his, "And usually we make up an occasion as to why we're lunching it. So what's today's?"_

_"Things are changing for us, Handsome. I mean big time changing. That's our occasion," She told him seriously as she sat up a little, completely alert._

"_Oh yeah?" Derek asked her, "Gonna tell me how exactly?"_

"_Once mamma's brought those gorgeous heels she saw in the store window across the street," Penelope told him and got up, "I'm literally taking a look and then I'll be back." What Penelope was actually doing was using it as an excuse to build her nerves back up because right now they had ran away._

"_I swear my life would be easier if you didn't have feet," Derek teased her lovingly. He happened to love her love of shoes and all things girly. It made her be in a set above the rest, she wasn't all about vanity, Penelope just loved to look her best. _

"_But then who would rub my feet after a long day of rocking the most gorgeous pair of heels?" She asked him back with a teasing pout before she lost composure and fell into a little smirk. "I'll be back in two ticks, Stud," she told him, dotting a kiss to his cheek she hurried off, a big grin on her face as she went. _

_She looked both ways down the road, before she turned to look over her shoulder as she went to cross the road. She saw Derek's expression darken. His body jumping up and just as she looked back she realised the once empty street now wasn't and before she had time to react she felt her body take the impact, pain washing her body all over instantly as she went over the rest of the car - purely by force - before connecting with concrete and her world going dark._

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"Just dream of our past, Baby," Derek's voice brought her back to reality. She watched him intently as he spoke. "That's our own little love story right there. Do not go and not give me my chance to tell you just how much I am in love with you. Do not leave me here alone without being able to give you that."

"But I have to," She whispered back to him and she couldn't stop the tears from coursing down her cheeks. "I have no other choice any more, Handsome."

"You have every choice to live, Baby Girl," Derek said and Penelope looked to see if he was staring at her as she sat in the corner, but he wasn't. His attention was still transfixed on her unconscious self. "You seem to forget how well I know you. I know you as well as you know me. I know your strength, your power, your tenacity, your passion for life. Use those and come back to me. You don't have to now, but when you're ready to, Baby. I promise I will be here waiting and ready to help you through this. I am not leaving you to battle this alone. You've just got to prove everyone wrong." Derek put his head to her grazed arm. He knew it was a miracle he was after, but all the time she was like this he couldn't leave. He couldn't give up his faith in his baby girl, in the woman he loved.

Penelope realised just how bounded she was and Derek were to one another and she knew that if she didn't leave now and take those five memories then their bond would not let either of them get through the stages of grief that were hanging over them so heavily. She had to take this as her goodbye and accept that the longer she remained like that, in a coma, on life support, the longer Derek was going to waste away.

Taking one last look at Derek, the love of her life, Penelope stood and left the hospital and went back into the light.

Ready to relive moments from her past.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	3. Reliving The First

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds!**

**A/N: **_Okay, so this is a flyby update! I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone that reviewed, even read, it's really appreciated and I really hope you like what's to come from here... _

_**FYI **__– The next five chapters, as you might have guessed, are going to be a new memory, and won't be a carry on from the last =)_

_Without further ado, here's memory number one! Enjoy!_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"Excuse me, Gomez," Derek called out and Penelope knew she had picked the right memory to begin her perfect five. She did what she had done before and carried on, after all she never was, and now never would be a Gomez. "Hey, Baby Girl!"

She heard it and like before, her heart galloped in her chest and thrust against her ribs as she turned slowly to face him, her expression a little miffed. "Forgive me," he told her politely, "I just didn't know the real..."

"I've been called worse," she replied, because she had. She had heard every stereotypical, sexist comment before. She could deal with baby girl from someone she could quite well deem a God. "What can I do for you?" Penelope asked, following the same sequence that had happened years ago. "Agent," she added on the end quickly feeling it her duty to respect the higher up bodies. After all she hadn't long been in the job and she wasn't prepared to see the back of it, or freedom just yet.

Derek stepped forward and handed over the details and information that they needed before letting her go. He watched her turn to leave but was compelled to keep her there for a moment longer. "It's Morgan, by the way," Derek said as he stepped towards her more as she turned back to face him. He put his hand out for her to shake, "Derek Morgan."

"Well Derek, I'm Penelope," she told him back, offering him one of her best smiles.

"No surname?" He asked her politely, still holding her hand in his.

She smirked at him, "Ah, well you see _Morgan_, I don't feel like we're on a last name basis yet," she teased him and watched him bare his teeth as he chuckled. Penelope had forgotten how easy it had been when she first met him. The conversation had just literally flowed from the first go, just this time she had taken it a lot further.

"So how do I get on a last name basis with such a beautiful lady?" He asked her as he crossed his arms over his chest. He profiled her quickly, "I'm guessing I'm not completely forgiven for the baby girl comment. How do I please a woman like yourself and get forgiveness?"

"Oh, Morgan there are multiple ways that I could already suggest for you pleasing me," she said and quickly stopped, feeling the blush run over her cheeks and she laughed away the comment. "I only forgive men like yourself if there's a dinner involved," she winked at him teasingly.

"Well then I guess I'll be coming around to your neck of the woods and dishing out a dinner date," He winked and turned to go back to Reid and Hotch.

Penelope walked off, guessing she was going to waiting on his call.

Later that day, Penelope found herself sitting with Derek as they waited on a table to become free. She had to admit it that today had been a whirlwind and all down this gorgeous man had played on her mind. Like she knew he would for the next couple of years.

"So you've been called worse?" Derek asked as he took a sip of his beer.

"Excuse me?" Penelope asked him a little confused.

Leaning in, Derek kept his eyes on her, "Earlier, after I apologised, you told me you've been called worse."

Penelope shrugged and picked her beer up, "Truth," she told him and readied to take a sip, "And this mamma doesn't lie to anyone."

"Well if that's so do I get a last name?"

"Ah, that's not lying. That's just withholding information," She answered him politely and took a swig of her beer.

"Withholding from a federal agent is a felony," he joked back.

"Now then, since when was I either under arrest or being interrogated?" She asked him casually. She knew what both of those felt like and they were not the best things to feel in the life. She never wanted to feel them again.

"You okay?" He asked her as he noticed her expression go a little distance on him. "Penelope?"

Looking back up, she just nodded a little, "Oh, erm yeah. Sorry."

"What happened there?"

"Nothing," she told him and looked at her beer.

Derek's brow knitted together at that. She obviously didn't know he was one of the best profilers in the FBI or she would've known that he had noticed something wasn't quite right the moment her eyes glazed over. "I know you're lying right now," He told her seriously.

"Excuse me?" She asked him a little aghast.

"Well you said you didn't lie, but right now I can tell you're not okay," He told her truthfully. "I know you haven't even know me twenty four hours, but you can always tell me what's up. I mean, you're my team's tech, we'll be working with one another now."

Running a hand over her head, Penelope felt a little uncomfortable, but she felt she owed Derek the truth at least.

"Do you know why I actually work there?" She asked him and saw him shake his head at her. "This is kind of my last chance."

"You're last chance? What at life? Or at something more sinister?"

Tilting her head, she gave him a look, "Do you actually ever stop profiling people?"

"Never, now answer the question," He prompted her.

"You just don't give up, do you?" She asked him and he shook his head at her. "I was arrested a month ago," she finally admitted and looked away.

"You?" He asked, slightly amused, slightly shocked. "Now you I never had down as someone that would go around getting arrested."

"I didn't just go around getting myself arrested," she said and felt even more uncomfortable. "You know, what I shouldn't even be discussing this. If Strauss finds ou-"

"Oh wow, so the wicked witch of the west got her claws into you," Derek said and reached over to take her hand in his, "You can tell me. I really won't go to her and tell her. My team tries everything to avoid her at all costs." He watched Penelope settle down, "So... what was it you got arrested for exactly.?"

"I, erm, I hacked something I shouldn't," she began nervously.

Derek looked impressed, "I like a women who's a threat. It's really quite sexy."

Laughing, Penelope was caught off guard by the waiter as he came over and told them their table was ready for them. She just allowed Derek to stand and followed him down to their table. The moment they were seated, they found themselves falling into easy conversation.

Later that night, after they'd eaten and wasted hours just talking, Derek walked Penelope outside to where the cabs sat waiting for their next job; he felt a pull to Penelope. A certain connection to her. A reason to give her every little bit of absolutely chivalry.

"Thank you for tonight, Penelope," Derek said as he opened the door to the cab. "It was a perfect ending to meeting a perfect woman."

"You, Derek Morgan, are a real charmer," Penelope gushed at him as she stepped down the curb and got ready to get in.

"Not really if you're going home alone it isn't," Derek replied a little disappointed. He was the ladies man around the town, but Penelope hadn't been the slightest interested to go home with him.

"Ahh Agent Morgan, charm isn't told by the notches in the bed posts, but by the amount of women who want to see you again tomorrow."

Derek smiled at her then, "Oh is that so?"

"That really is," she said and reached up to give him a kiss on the cheek before she got into the cab and wound the window down. Giving the cab driver her address to the cab driver, she turned to Derek and smirked, "It's Garcia by the way. Penelope Garcia," she said and blew him a playful kiss as her cab drove away.

Penelope sighed and sunk into her seat. She wished she had had that memory for real. That, that day had turned out that playful. As that thought settled in so did another.

Meeting Derek Morgan was a perfect memory all in its own right.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	4. On Second Thoughts

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds!**

**A/N:** _As always, a big, huge THANK YOU, to everyone for the response on this. You do not know how happy I am to know this is well received =)_

_REMEMBER!__ New chapter = new memory... nothing from the last chapter affects this chapter._

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope watched as Derek, Emily, Reid and JJ all turned to leave. She remembered this day like it was only yesterday that it happened. She remembered the familiar ebb of morphine as it raced around her veins soothing the pains, dulling them. She remembered how she felt, and the one thing that stuck in her gut was the one thing that never got broached.

_An apology. _

"Derek," she said and she felt the tears build up as she remembered everything from that one moment in life.

"What's up, Baby Girl?" Derek asked as he took her hand again. He watched her as she breathed through the pain. He was angry at seeing her like this. He was frustrated that she was a victim. He never envisioned ever giving Penelope that label and he felt bad for even thinking it.

"I-I just wanted to say sorry," she told him and felt the tears begin to build. "I went on that date to prove you wrong. I just wanted a nice guy to like me. I didn't want this to happen."

"We don't need to do this now, I understand, Baby," Derek soothed her, his hand taking hers again. "You just focus on getting better."

"I can't," She whispered as her emotions boiled away. "I can't let you walk out of this room without saying how sorry I am, Derek because I know that if you do, we won't get this chance." She watched him go to speak, to argue her point and she knew that if she didn't say it now, she never would. "I went on that date to make you jealous," she admitted and closed her eyes, partly due to embarrassment, partly to the pain. "I thought that if I did that, you'd get jealous and I don't know," She paused for a moment, "I didn't mean for it to backfire this bad. I never wanted you to find out any of this, this way."

"Penelope," Derek said as he sat on the side of the bed and gently watched her. He knew she was weak, he knew she was hurting over this and he knew that she was right. If he left the room, they wouldn't broach the subject again. Life would just resume its natural course. "I was jealous, that's why I got like I did. That's why I acted like I did. I didn't think he was bad for you, or that it couldn't be good enough to be true. I wanted to be the guy that got you excited, Penelope. I wanted to be that man that got you like that and I want to be the guy that crosses a smoky bar for you."

Penelope hadn't realised she was crying heavily until Derek leant in and wiped the tears away. "I didn't think you'd love me like that."

"Why not?" Derek asked incredulously, "Why didn't you think that?"

Penelope sucked in a deep breath, "Because I've seen who you date and who you dance with, Derek. That's why I never told you a thing and if this hadn't have turned out like this, then I still wouldn't have."

Locking his jaw, Derek's gaze cast downwards. He battled with himself for a moment. How wasted their opportunities were, how crossed over their emotions for one another had become. When he finally reverted to look at her, he saw her downtrodden expression and his heart clenched tighter than it already had.

"I was in church," He admitted quickly. "While you were on that date, I wound up in church. I wasn't going to go, but I needed some help. Something didn't feel right, and I didn't know if it was the case or the fact that you didn't want to talk to me, but something wasn't sitting right within me." He continued to tell her, "I was hoping to get some guidance on what to do next with my life and I got it. I knew what I was going to do and then I got the voicemail. While I was in church praying, you were fighting for your life."

"What were you going to do?"

"Tell you why I was a jerk, Penelope. I was going to tell you how in love I am with you," Derek told her and watched her offer him a small smile. "Because I am, Baby Girl. I am so in love with you, the idea of you hurt is actually killing me right now."

"I survived," she told him as the tiredness swept through her. She couldn't help but let a smile wipe across her lips, "I had to come back and tell you I'm in love with you too, Handsome," she teased him and watched as he leant in and gave her a kiss. This was exactly how she wished this had played out.

"Now you need to rest," He told her seriously. "This is something we will be continuing when I leave this room. I can promise you that."

Penelope grabbed his hand as he went to leave, "Can I ask one favour?" Penelope asked as she tried to calm herself.

"Course you can," Derek replied going back to her bedside.

"Promise me, that you won't talk about me like I'm a victim," She said as she felt Derek's hand squeeze hers a little. "I know you already do think it, but I just can't cope with you working this case and pegging me as that."

"I promise," Derek vowed and leant down and kissed her. "You get some rest, okay?" He watched her nod, "I'll be right outside if you need me."

"Okay," Penelope said and watched Derek leave the room. It was just as his hand hit the wall outside that she felt the familiar rush of exhaustion wash over her completely and she closed her eyes.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"You need some rest," Derek said attentively as he finished looking around Penelope's apartment making sure it was still a safe sanctuary for her. He knew he should've realised her apartment would be the bigger deal of her office. He should've just known.

Penelope nodded and waited to get a hug before speaking, needing the physical touch once again, "You're right. Go. Be free my love." She breathed as they separated, she was ready to crawl into bed and let the medication she had work its wonders.

It seemed Derek had other ideas, "Hey, I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm fine," she argued back. "I've got my goon squad parked out front," she said motioning with her thumb to the window.

Smiling at her, Derek disregarded the idea. "Goon squad or no goon squad that couch right there is going to be my best friend until we find this guy. Now leave it alone."

"Okay," Penelope said and then grabbed his hand, "But don't sleep on the couch. You can have me and my bed as your best friend until this is over." She replied with a bright smile, "But even then I don't think I'm going to be ready to let you go home alone."

"Don't think I will be either," Derek told her affectionately, "Go get ready for bed. I'll be there in a minute."

Penelope smiled and turned to go through the beaded archway to her bedroom. Derek watched her go, his heart fluttered and his mind raced. He had to be one of the luckiest guys alive to have a best friend like her, to be in love with a woman like her and he was even luckier for her to have survived this.

"Hey silly girl. I love you, you know that, right?" He called out to her and spoke softly as she turned back to him.

Penelope's face illuminated at that and she nodded before replying, "I love you too."

"Good, just checking," Derek told her and winked before going to check the windows a second time and allow her to get entirely ready for bed.

Hours later, Derek refused to let Penelope out of his sight. For the second time in quick succession Penelope's life had been endangered by a crazed man with intent to kill. After the chase, the culmination of everything and the death of her shooter, Penelope just about got away from the hospital after being treated for shock and was allowed to go home where she quickly sought Derek's comfort to calm her completely.

Waking up in the middle of the night, she realised she was still in Derek's arms, she could tell from his hold he was awake and she kissed his chest gently.

"You're up," he mumbled huskily. He had laid away listening to her sleep for hours now, not quite believing that all threat to Penelope was now gone. "You okay?"

"I am," she whispered back and then moved a little to look up at him. "One of the last things I told him before he shot me was everything happens for a reason. Right now, I realise why this happened." She smiled at him, "I finally got you."

"You always had me, Gorgeous," Derek said and kissed her heatedly. "Just now you're the woman I can love like I never loved before."

Penelope couldn't help but smile as she sunk back down and welcomed in the new bout of sleep.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	5. Third Strike

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds!**

**A/N:** _As always, a big, huge THANK YOU, to everyone for the response on this. As always, it is much appreciated!_

_New memory guys! Enjoy!_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Walking out of her office, Penelope took a look at her clothes and remembered what was going to roll and she knew that if anything by the end of the case, after the emotional rollercoaster, Derek was going to have a few home truths.

She just had find him first.

Going down the corridor, she felt her luck as he walked towards, "Hey," She said nervously to him. "Can we have a talk?"

Stopping in front of her, Derek realised that something was wrong. "Yeah, what's up?"

"First I would like to say that I love you and I, I, the thing I love the most about you is how much you care about people," Penelope could feel her nerves clawing her throat, taking her words.

"Garcia," Derek started, "What? What's going on?"

"I think you need to cut contact with Tamara Barnes," She blurted out at him. She knew it was abrupt, but he had to know what was bugging her so much at that moment.

"I didn't make contact with her. She was at the police station," Derek argued back, trying not to show that he was a little hurt at this accusation.

Penelope tilted her head to the side a little, "Yeah okay, look me in the eye and tell me the first break in the case you don't run right to her and give her the news yourself." She dared him and saw him look a little more pissed at her as she went.

"Penelope, she lost her brother, she just wants answers."

"No, I get it. I volunteer counselling these families. I think I know what she's going through," Penelope said back, she did deal with these types of things all the time. She had been there before in her life too.

"Where's this coming from?" Derek asked her, really feeling a little more than hurt at this conversation.

Penelope didn't want to argue. That was the last thing she wanted to happen. "Okay let's just ignore the whole ethical dilemma because that's just too, too big. Now if you were to testify on this case, the whole thing would unravel if anyone were to find out you were involved with a member of the victim's family."

"Okay, whoa stop. I love you, and I respect you, you know that, but right now you're way out of bounds." He ignored Penelope's shocked expression, "I'm not involved."

As he moved to get away, she followed. They needed to finish this even though she felt like this wasn't going as well as her mental dramatisation had predicted to go. Then again, what was she was hoping for? Did she want for Derek to realise why exactly she was having this conversation and why it bugged her just a little too much? Obviously that was the case that wasn't going to happen. "The team was here working on a case and you're with her. You're involved."

"For your information, she lost it back at the station so I drove her home. End of story."

"But not for her," Penelope said, not willing to allow Derek to crush his career. "Derek, she's so sad and so confused and angry and desperately looking anyone to swoop in and make it all better and unless you're all in and can be there for every stage of the grieving process then you're just another reason for her to not trust the world."

"She's simply just trying to understand why this happened," Derek said his brow furrowing in frustration at how Penelope was being with him.

"There is no why and she'll drive herself crazy trying to find one," Penelope bargained with him. Christ, she remembered trying to find a reason why her parents had died that night and even now, nearly two decades on she still tried to find that reason.

"Don't tell me," Derek trailed off as JJ walked towards the pair of them. He was somewhat relieved to have a reason to get some air.

"Bar south east, two dead. They're waiting for you," JJ told him and she looked between the pair quickly. Even she couldn't miss the tension between them.

"Baby Girl, I gotta go," Derek said and was gone.

Nothing was resolved and Penelope felt as if she had just ruined her relationship with Derek just a little more. It was already just clinging on and she felt the rush of fear that it was all going to fall apart around her.

She still felt that way when later that day, her phone rang. She clicked the receiver and went back to her computer.

"Hey girl," Derek's apprehensive force travelled down the line.

"Hey," She replied and cursed herself for sounding so sad. "Are we good?"

"Yeah we're good," He answered her back and even though it wasn't a proper resolution, it was better than sitting around worrying.

"Okay," Penelope said with a smile. Personal had to remain separate from professional. "What do you need?"

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope looked down at the drink in her hand and sighed. If this was supposed to be reliving a moment, she couldn't understand why she had chosen this to relive.

As she remembered the outfit, she knew a couple of weeks had lapsed between hers and Derek's minor argument over Tamara Barnes and she remembered how she had shown him his new office, completely with it's _fun zone_.

She also remembered how she had changed her actions that night and had gone back to see him, to ask him something.

"Well I didn't expect to find you in a bar," Derek said and hopped up on the seat next to her, "alone."

"Here I am," Penelope said and gave him a quick look and then looked back.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her.

"Getting a drink," She replied quickly and just sat there quickly.

Derek took a moments silence and ordered a drink. Letting her dwell a little before he really found out what was bothering her.

"I came back earlier to ask you to go out with me," She said quietly, her heart beating harshly. "I heard you on the phone and I remember you told me there was a lot in your life I didn't know about." She laughed a little at the irony, "It's the truth. There is a lot I don't know and I guess when I heard you on the phone I knew there was another thing." Penelope looked up at her best friend, "Who's the lucky lady then?"

Derek said a little shocked, he couldn't form an answer.

"Right," Penelope said as she turned back to the bar, "Tamara Barnes."

"She's just a friend," Derek batted back trying to keep this on the low key. "It was one drink."

Penelope looked at Derek, "That's how it starts, Derek." She told him and then watched his expression. "First it's a drink, then a meal, then you take her home, and then it's nightly visits."

"The case is over, Penelope. What is your problem with me still seeing her?"

Sucking in a deep breath, Penelope shook her head. "It doesn't matter," she shrugged the question away. "What's your problem with not telling me things?"

Derek took his beer and turned to face her completely on his stall. He was ignorant to anyone else in the bar. Right now, he was trying to find out about what was wrong with his friend. "I asked first, so don't do you dare back away from telling me what really brought this all on."

Rolling her eyes in a bid to hide the tears, Penelope shook her head a little. It was more aimed at herself than Derek at allowing herself to actually contemplate saying what she was about to.

"Well?" Derek pushed.

"I'm in love with you," Penelope blurted, all of her words seemingly one instead of a full sentence. "So I guess, you could say my problem with you seeing her is that I'm scared to lose you. I'm scared to feel the jealousy that I always used to when another girl stole your attention. This time, this time it's more serious isn't it?" She asked and finally looked at him, her heartbreak showing in her eyes. "I don't know what to do right now about it."

Derek was just quiet as he sat there and that unnerved Penelope. She couldn't hold it together any longer and she needed to get out of there. If this was one of the memories she was choosing to relieve then she knew she was having words with God for not stopping her. She'd taken a memory and morphed it into what she had wanted – get the truth out – but right now, she wished to be anywhere but here. She got up and went to move, to leave him behind but Derk grabbed her.

"Don't go," He said and pulled her back.

"Derek, you've got better things to do. I just wanted one quiet drink and then go home."

"Well now," Derek said, "You're having a drink with me." He pulled her back down to her seat she was sitting in. Keeping a hold of her hand, he looked at her, "Why didn't you tell me?" He saw her resisting, "Pen, why?"

"What's the point, Morgan?" She asked him and diverted her attention from looking at him. "It's out there now, so," She shrugged, "I've said it now."

"You really love me don't you?" He asked her after watching her reaction.

"More than I've ever loved anyone else," She told him honestly. Even though Penelope knew she had Kevin waiting at home for her, she just couldn't lie to him anyone or keep her it a secret.

"I always thought you were tied down with Lynch. I never saw potential there," Derek told her, "I guessed I was reaching out to whoever I could to replace you," Derek told her back, "Now however, I see full potential to keep you right where I want you and I mean I _want _you. I'm in love with you too."

"What about Tamara?" Penelope asked cautiously, not wanting to believe that this could still fall down.

"What about her?" Derek asked back, "She's just a friend. Like I said," He told her the same explanation again, but this time Penelope read all the truths in it. "There's nothing going to go on there," He told her and he leaned in, kissing her neck a little before moving up to capture her lips.

Smiling as the kiss finished, Penelope looked at Derek.

Now Penelope understood why she had done this. Whatever happened with these five memories, she was always getting a happily ever after.

She couldn't deny that was a simple piece of bliss to take with her.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	6. Being Forth About Things

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds!**

**A/N: **_I am so glad you are all still liking this! As ever the reviews, alerts are so appreciated =)_

_Fourth memory - One left to go after this!_

_Hope you enjoy, guys!_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope looked at Derek, and realised that the one thing she loved most about this moment - if there was anything to love after watching a man die in your arms - it was that Derek was here. He was the one that was cleaning the blood off of her hands as they shook terribly and he was the one that was being her support when all she was seeing was that man dying.

Penelope continued to stare away in silence, "He was alive."

"What?" Derek asked as he slowed a little in cleaning Penelope's cheek of blood for a moment. He could tell she wasn't really there at that moment, but he needed her to talk it out.

"He was still alive," She whispered tearfully.

"Baby there's nothing else you could've done."

She sucked in a shaky breath, "I felt him leave. He was there one second and then just a body."

"I'm really sorry you had to see all of that."

"Derek, I didn't see it, I was in it. I'm sorta used to seeing horrible things from the safety of my screens every day but this was," She sucked in a deep breath, "just there."

"Why didn't you go and find someone before you rant out there?

Penelope had to tell him the truth, she had to tell him why she put herself out there like she had, "Because when I got shot I remember thinking the last thing I'm ever going to see in this life is the man who killed me and I couldn't let that happen to him. He had to see something good before he died," She said not hiding the fact that that was her one biggest fear.

"You ran right towards the Unsub, you could've been killed."

He seemingly missed the point and Penelope's heart panged, "I know that, don't treat me like the victim."

"Right," He whispered to her, "I'm sorry." He continued to tell her in a low tone before he changed the subject. "I wanna ask you a couple of questions."

Penelope shook her head, "No I told you everything I saw."

"You said the man's face was mostly dark but there was also a lot of blood on it. You might have seen more than you thought."

"No. Cognitive interviews, breaking someone's death down to a science and statistics - that is your world not mine. I will help from mine." Penelope shouted as she fled up the stairs, her complete resolve gone now and her tears just falling.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

JJ opened the door hesitantly and she saw Penelope sitting in the middle of the bed with a pillow to her chest, "Garcie?" She called out gently and stepped in and quietly closed the door. "Morgan sent me up to check on you. He's sorry," She mentioned as she approached the bed and sat on it next to her friend. She still hadn't said a word, "How you holding up?"

Penelope turned and looked at her friend, not hiding the sadness in her eyes, "I shouldn't have shouted at Derek. He was only doing his job."

"But he was profiling you at the same time; you don't like that at the best of times. He understands," JJ comforted Penelope the best she could. "Wanna go and get a drink? Or maybe something to eat?"

Shaking her head, Penelope replied, "I think I need Morgan."

JJ smiled at Penelope, "I'll go and get him for you."

"Thank you, Jayje," Penelope whispered to JJ as she watched her friend get up and leave the room. She knew JJ wanted to be there for her as much as anyone else, but Penelope felt she was unfair to Derek and she wanted to apologise.

Penelope closed her eyes trying to remove the images of what only happened less than an hour ago, and as they shifted, Battle's face leaning over her came back in and she remembered holding her breath so he thought she was dead.

"Baby Girl," Derek said as he closed the door. He had knocked, but had received no response so just entered the room.

Penelope finally released her breath as Derek stole her attention away from the memories that still haunted her.

"You okay?" He asked her warily and received a small nod from her.

"I'm sorry," They both said in unison and then they smiled at one another.

Derek got on the bed with her and pulled the pillow away, leaving her bare and vulnerable for a moment. He knew she was good at hiding away in simple ways, but he also knew that wasn't how she was going to get through this.

"Hotch said for you to take a break," Derek said to her gently and he watched her nod, "Just until you're ready," He finished off.

"Okay," She said thankfully and felt all of her reserves disband and her energy. She felt panicked as Derek stood up; she wasn't ready for him to leave, not after he had come to look after her. She felt an overwhelming need to keep him here a little while longer.

"I'm not leaving," He told her, picking up on her mood swing. "I'm just going to get a cloth and some water to clean the rest of the blood off of you," He told her calmly and just looked at her from the door, "Then I think you need some sleep."

"Derek," She said meekly, "Don't sleep on the floor tonight." She told him, ignorant of Kevin's previous jealous rant at her about them sharing a room. She wanted to sleep this night away and bring a new day in, but she didn't want to be alone and she knew that Derek was her only way to seek any form of solace.

"Anything for you, Baby Girl," He said as he gave her a smile and left the room.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope looked out over the lake, and hugged herself from chilly breeze. She had so much going on in her head, so many things she wished were different. There was so much clarity to her life at the moment.

"Sucks doesn't it?" Derek called out, making her jump a little as he made himself known behind her.

"What?"

"Just knowing that we couldn't have done any of this with you," He spoke softly, still standing behind her.

"Yeah pretty much," She said with a half laugh.

Taking off his sunglasses, Derek walked towards her, "I'm proud of you Penelope. Despite everything that happened you come back and you got the job done"

"The sight of blood used to make me run away and two nights ago I ran towards it," She admitted, her gaze dropping a little as it remained on the lake.

Turning her to face him, their bodies moved closer together. "It means you're changing into someone stronger than your realise. You cared enough to risk your own life to save someone else."

Penelope shook her head, as the tears brew. "Yeah, but what's the difference between being strong and being jaded? I'm scared, Derek. I don't wanna lose who I am just so I can do this job." She felt herself beginning to unravel and she knew this would be a downward spiral.

Derek listened to his best friend's fear and turned to the lake, taking her attention with him, "We are in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I know you see that, don't you?'

"Yeah," She confirmed, knowing it wasn't lie. She did see that.

He put his hand to her chin, bringing her face to look at him again as he wiped a tear from her cheek, "Then we have nothing to worry about," Derek said coolly, his tone low with truths. "It's who you are baby girl. You see the beauty in everything and everyone no matter where you go. That part of you is never gonna change and I won't let it."

"Pfft. I don't need you to protect me," She disregarded his vow to her.

"Tough," He answered back almost instantly, "I think I'm gonna stay on the job a little while longer."

She gave him an amused grin, "Yeah. For how much longer?"

"Every day of my life," He vowed to her and made it sound like the best duty he had ever given himself to undertake.

Penelope smiled at that and leaned in as she felt rushes of emotions take over her body. "I really love you, Derek Morgan," Penelope said as looked into his eyes, her own crying and then she put her hand to his stomach, pulling at his shirt.

_This was how she had wanted it to be. There was no kinder love you like she had said with the real memory. She had always really loved Derek._

"I really love you, Penelope Garcia," Derek replied and instead of pulling her into a hug, he lifted her head a little and leaned in to kiss her. He started off gently, waiting for her admission to new found gesture and when he felt her give it, he ran a hand along her back and pulled her close to his body, deepening the kiss in the process.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	7. Captured In The Fifth Dimension

**-Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds!**

**A/N:** LAST memory guys and then you'll have to hang tight and really see how this is gonna roll out! Thanks as always, you're all stars!

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"Robert hangs in the shadows just as his life now hangs in the balance. But life without love is no life at all," Derek had started to read it and Penelope read with it.

She thought to herself for a moment – even midst case. "We would be awesome together," She said quietly and dreamily.

"Aren't we already?" Derek said down the phone at her, his tone oozing his normal confidence.

"Like us they are perfectly matched, but they are not found on any database," She said getting back down to business. Forgetting about her heart once more singing Derek's name at her.

"On what then?"

"On the piece of paper shoved down Kelly's throat," She said, a little disgusted.

"The same words?" Derek asked her.

"Mmhmm, yeah..." She replied and was met with complete silence. She knew what was going on instantly. "Derek what is it? You're doing that silence which means you're on to something."

Derek didn't say anything else. He knew Penelope knew him like the back of her hand and he knew if he didn't go now he'd lose his train of thought, "I'll call you back."

Looking at the words on the screen she sighed deeply. It might be a subjective comment to make but she really did think her and Derek were made for one another, but she never expected him to repay the gesture of love like she did.

She knew some things were just never meant to be, but she also knew this was her memory to remake, and so far it was going all normal, but considering Kevin hadn't made it into any of her five memories she knew in her ideal world he never even existed. He wasn't even around in her life in reality.

This was her time to grasp what she wanted and she had the chance to do whatever she wanted with it.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope was literally beat. If working a case wasn't bad enough, she was still in her minor disguise after being put on a stage and made to do a conference. The one bit that made it worthwhile was claiming Derek her bodyguard. That was a girl's dream come true.

She stood and looked at she felt his presence behind her. He stood with her jacket ready to put on for her. "Ohh, what a gentlemen," she said and realised that chivalry wasn't truly dead yet.

"Excuse me, Missy, but when did you plan on telling me?" He asked as they both finished packing everything up.

"Oh I wasn't going to tell you," She told him as she grabbed her bag. "We all have things for ourselves, you know you have property and I have the theatre," She finished as she closed her bag and picked it up.

"Can you at least tell me what it's about?" He queried as she went slowly to the door.

"Mmhmm," She began, "It's about a woman who is attacked by a serial killer, but she catches him and knocks him out and she keeps him for days." Penelope spoke with a lot of dramatisation and enthusiasm over the plot line.

"Garcia, of all the plays in the world you choose something like that?" Derek questioned a little horrified that she had taken such a deep and dark play to perform.

"I get to vent," She told him simple and went to leave entirely after that.

Derek stopped her for a moment, blocking her way with the file he still had in his hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa," He began, "How does it end?"

Penelope looked at him and smirked sexually before she stepped closer, putting a hand to his chest and looked at him with all the emotion and seduction in her system. "If I told you that it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?" She asked him in a low husky tone and then she left him there. Her walk perfect and confident in what she had just achieved.

Derek laughed before leaving the room empty and followed her out. "I don't think that's fair to do to your man, Baby," he called out as he followed her up the darkened walkway.

"Well you know, we're just not very fair to one another, Baby Boy," She called out teasingly, not slowing her pace any.

Speeding up, Derek caught her hand and spun her around, killing the getaway. "You are too God damn sexy when you wanna be you know that right?"

"I like to try," She said as she tilted her head to the side, her smirk still not shifted any. "You, however, are always too damn sexy and I never get any of it." She told him truthfully, "Call that pay back."

"Still no fair," Derek argued back. "You're still doing it."

"You're always doing it," Penelope teased him back, "Now if you're not gonna do something about me still teasing you, I wanna go and fall into a bed. I am completely whacked."

Derek looked at her and realised that she didn't even realise she was giving him _that_ look. She had no idea what power she had over him, but her spell was working perfectly. He just couldn't withhold any longer and so he kissed her. For the first time ever, he kissed her on the lips and fell completely addicted immediately.

"Derek," She started and then before she knew it she was pushed against the wall and Derek released vengeance in the form of kisses and she couldn't do a thing but just react to them all.

His hands roamed down her body, pulling her close to his aching, needing form and she gave all herself to him and his way, letting him ravish her in the darkened corridor. Her adrenaline sky rocketed as he continued and showed he was not going to let her go just yet. She had never been this daring with anyone before, but something about Derek made this moment feel empowering.

"We should go to the hotel," Derek said as he continued to kiss her. Now he had started, he just couldn't stop himself. He knew full well it was the blonde wig she had on, the bedroom eyes, the ruby lips, it was all like a siren to him. Penelope had always been somewhat of an untouched tease to him, someone that he had always wanted but never dare go near, but his resolve of the matter broke entirely now.

"Urgh," Penelope said in disgust. She knew what was waiting for her when they got there. A grotty old couch and a blanket for bedding. _Great!_

"Fall into my bed," He told her simply, a suggestive grin being shown her way.

"Well that's a better option than the couch in JJ and Emily's room," Penelope teased him heavily for a moment, getting him right where she wanted him.

"I meant with me," He told her, literally willing to spell it out. "So I can continue worshiping your body and really give you a night to remember."

"Any night with you, Stud, is a night to remember," She replied almost innocently.

Derek beamed then, "I better work extra hard to make this a cut above the rest," He told her and put his hand out for her. "M'lady, are you ready to go to bed?"

"Unbelievably ready," She told him and gave him a wink. "You show me how a goddess should be loved."

"My pleasure," He said as he took her hand and walked her out of the building, and down to the awaiting SUV. He helped her into the car, and shut the door before going to jump into the driver's side. He would never let Penelope even think that chivalry was dying out. Ever.

Later that night, Penelope couldn't sleep. She sat and watched Derek sleep, his body barely covered by the sheet on his bed, his face completely serene and peaceful. Her eyes traced down his body and she was so tempted to touch, to just feel it again. This man was now hers.

He had promised himself to her for the rest of their lives. She had felt the happiness explode within her and she had never felt happier.

Yet her smile had saddened.

Penelope knew that memory was going to live on in her for the rest of eternity.

The thing that pained her most was knowing that the moment she closed her eyes, she was going back to limbo to face her new fate – without Derek.

So she chose to revel in this before settling down against Derek's bare chest and allowing him to fill all of her senses one last time.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	8. Personal Heaven

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds!**

**A/N:** _So this is a kinder whammy of a chapter... here's the fate of Penelope for ya... _

_Thanks for all of the brilliant reviews, you lot really are bright stars =)_

_Now don't kill me..._

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"You've been granted one more thing," Penelope's mother said as she hugged her daughter, trying her hardest to stop the sobs that were breaking her heart.

That one voice brought Penelope back to her new reality – _her new life_.

Penelope slowly looked up, her body still hiccupping with the cries. She knew, however much she prayed, this one more thing would not be her life granted back to her. At that moment, Penelope was finding all of this hard to take in. She had gone from living one of the best days of her life, to dying, to being confronted by her parents who, without saying it, were there ready to take her onto her next life. Now she was losing her life and she wasn't ready for it to change. She was too attached to Derek, too attached to what he had given her, to his heart, to his love. The prospect of losing it scared her.

"You get to have one memory you've always wanted," Her mother told her as she ran a hand over her cheek to rid it of the tears. "It can be anything you so wish."

"Did you have this choice? Did you get the five memories?" Penelope asked both her parents quickly, her attention going from one to the other. She watched them both nod at her sadly and she knew that her tie to the real world was slowly coming to a stop. "Isn't there anything I can do?" Penelope asked them, "I thought I was done with that life, I accepted everything, but I can't leave it."

"Baby," Her mom spoke up, "I know it's hard, but you have to accept what is your destiny."

"I don't want to!" Penelope said in the middle of an angry outburst, "You had one another, you had the person you love the most. I had mine, he's still sitting by my bedside begging me to wake up at this very moment."

"We still had to leave you five. We still had to leave you and your brothers," Her mom told her, her own tears building heavily. "I wanted nothing more than to wake back up and have you all and your father."

Penelope looked up into the bright whiteness and tried to calm, "What was the memory you always wanted?"

Rachel let her tears fall, "To see you all grown up and happy with life. To have what me and your stepfather had, Penny. That's all I have ever wanted."

"I won't be happy here," Penelope told her, "I don't care that when Derek gets here I can have him, I can love him. What about the time in between now and his death?" She asked, "What about the woman that he'll love between then, the family he'll have. He won't love me. I'll be all alone in heaven because my opportunity was taken from me. You told me you've watched us all over the years. That means I can watch him, and you know I will. I don't want to watch him love someone else when my heart will forever be there with him."

Penelope's father stepped in and put his hand on her shoulder, "Take this moment to have whatever you wanted. Live something you've always dreamt of living. Make this moment worth everything because then you can last the wait." He said as he took her hand and brought her back to sit between him and Rachel.

"Sweetie, just close your eyes. We're both here for you," Penelope's mother guided her gently. "We'll be here when you come back too. You won't do any of this alone."

Nodding, Penelope felt the onslaught of the tears and closed her eyes ready to get a memory of a lifetime before it was too late.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

_Smiling dreamily, Penelope opened her eyes slowly. She blinked as her vision adjusted to the morning light that danced through the curtains. She smirked as she felt the kisses being planted one by one up her back and turned her head._

"_Morning Baby Girl," Derek almost drooled at her and reached up to kiss her lips._

"_I'll show you a good morning," She said and turned, the sheet wrapping around her body as she did so. _

_Derek lay on his side, his elbow holding him up a little, his smile completely riddled with seduction, "You already did and fell back to sleep," he told her, "But daddy's ready for round two, Mrs Morgan."_

_Penelope giggled, "Daddy?" she asked him with an unsure lock, "That's a new one."_

"_I think it's granted to call myself that the day after my wife finds out she's expecting my child," Derek told her and leant in, his breath hitting her gently, his lips near hers. "I guess I'm your baby daddy."_

_Not withholding Penelope laughed out loud at that, and realised that she never wanted this to end. The ease to have him this close and know that if she kissed him it would be reciprocated. That if she had morning breath, he wouldn't care. That if she looked a mess he would just call her beautiful. She had the perfect life with the one man that had slowly broken her walls down over the years and stolen pieces of her heart until it was in his sole possession._

"_It's still early, we have nowhere to go," He said as he pulled her back towards his chest and kissed her unashamedly and passionately. Pulling away, he looked at her and smiled, "I love you Penelope, never ever forget how much."_

"_I won't ever," she said as her emotions caught up with her and her eyes watered. She wiped them, "Baby hormones," she cursed._

_Laughing a little, he wiped the tears away and kissed her again, "Fill my dreams?" He asked her and gave her a coy look._

"_I'll be there the moment you close your eyes, Handsome. Like always," she vowed as kissed his chest before laying her head on it. "You've just got to close your eyes."_

"_See you on the other side, Princess," Derek told her and kissed the top of her head longingly._

_Penelope knew the moment she closed her eyes, this would end, but she was in utter bliss that even falling asleep in Derek's arms was pleasure. _

_She wasn't scared anymore; she knew that one day she would have all this._

_She had taken this one dream and made it a reality. Everything was a live wire of stimuli; there were no elements of a dream to it, no surrealism, no falsification. Just pure, unadulterated love and reality. She had gotten her perfect dream and she couldn't ask for anything else._

"_I want to stay here forever," Penelope mumbled sleepily as she lay soaked in her own idea of heaven._

_Derek kissed the top of her head before settling down, his hand perched on her stomach, "Then let's stay right here, Baby Girl."_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Opening her eyes again, Penelope found herself laying in the position she had just fallen asleep in. Jolting up, she felt her heart pounding so hard she could feel it in her head. Pulling her knees to her chest she broke back down. She thought that as time went, she would get used to this, that every time she opened her eyes she would feel another part of her accepting her damned fate, but nothing within her was ready to let go of the hold she had with her material world.

Her love for Derek was too bound to be broken – even by death itself.

"Penelope, this isn't doing you any good," Penelope's mom came to sit with her again. "It's not healthy."

"I can't stop it," Penelope said between sobs, "I've tried everything in my power to stop feeling like this, but I would rather be dead entirely than be here and Derek be back there."

"Penny, there's something we have to share with you that _He_ told us," Penelope's father said, cluing towards God.

"What?" Penelope asked, scared that she was going to get another moment with her memories to be tortured more than she already was.

Taking her hand, Penelope's mom smiled a little, "You get one more chance, Penelope. One more chance at life. If you don't show him you love him, then destiny will speak and you won't get the five memories again. You won't get a chance to relieve them."

"You'll be brought straight to heaven, no chance at limbo."

Penelope felt fear erupt in her; she was worried that Derek wouldn't respond. That it was all a reaction of the accident. That life was a dream and maybe this was best of her.

"He's still by your bedside, Pen. He loves you," Her father spoke up after noticing her irrationality. "You've been given another chance because you showed strength and undying love. Now take this moment and make that memory you had of your future a reality."

"Is it really this easy? I mean life and death, how can it be given and taken so easily? Why didn't you're love bring you back?"

"Penny, life and death is so unexplainable. You don't argue with it, you take what you have. We loved you and your brothers so much," Penelope's mother told her truthfully, "But we had one another. Your father and I, we had one another, we had the support of knowing that even in death we were together. You're supposed to be eternally happy here, most of the time we are, but you weren't bound to be without Derek here with you."

"So go back to him," Penelope's father told her calmly, a small, sad smile gracing his face.

Silently, Penelope nodded at them again. Her mind trying to comprehend what was going to be awaiting her when she got back.

"You know it's not going to be easy right?" Richard said as he sat down, "Your body sustained a lot of damage and it's going to be a long road before you feel anywhere near recovered." He told her truthfully, "You won't have much of a life and-"

"But I'll have Derek," Penelope told them strongly, cutting into the end of the sentence. "Life can give me anything, but as long as I have him, it'll be worth it." She told them solemnly.

Now the prospect of life was scaring her.

"When you're ready, Honey, just go back towards the light," Penelope's mom told her and saw her daughter face contort with confusion as she tried to work out if that was some cryptic clue for something. "All directions will lead you to him."

Taking a few minutes, Penelope lavished the feel of having her parents either side of her before she got up and just walked back into the light.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	9. In This Together

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds!**

**A/N:** _Fly by update here! Thanks as always, you all rock!_

_All mistakes are mine, I had no time to check properly =/ However, ENJOY!_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope seemingly gasped as she opened her eyes. One moment the bright light had faded and she wondered if she had done wrong and this was death as she felt light and free. Then everything cascaded together and she was flooded with newfound pains and an inability to breathe properly.

She looked around with wide eyes as commotion seemed to fill the room around her, trying her hardest to make sense of what was going on. It didn't matter what she tried, her nerves were shot, her pain levels exceeding anything like before and her fear had escaped and was prominently cloaking her.

"Baby, it's Derek, Baby, it's me," Derek called out to her as he tried his best to make her see him whilst not getting in the way of the doctors. "Be brave, everything's going to be okay." Even Derek couldn't completely feel joyous at that moment; he was panicking too much at the state in which Penelope had woken up.

A state that she was never supposed to wake up too. They were all told she was gone, that there was no hope and here she was struggling as the doctors and nurses rushed to get her breathing on her own moments after she had bolted back to life – scaring Derek in the process.

Derek was given a couple of moments to be with Penelope while the doctor ordered the remaining nurses around and saw to Penelope. Looking down, Derek couldn't believe that Penelope was breathing on her own; that she was staring at him with the utmost amount of emotions and that she slowly broke into a smile at seeing him there.

"You're still here," She croaked almost inaudibly. Her throat was aching from the need of the breathing tube that had only just been removed and she felt the dryness at not having drunk anything for a while.

"Course I'm here," Derek replied, not taking into account the way she had worded that sentence. "I've had nowhere else I'd rather be, Baby Girl. I was needed here." He watched her try and cough a little and looked up to the doctor, "Can she have a drink? Her throat's really dry," He asked quickly and got a nod of the doctor.

"Small sips though," The doctor continued to advised. "It's good to see you awake Penelope. We're going to get you as comfortable as we possibly can and get you some more rest," He said and watched as Derek helped her take some of her drinks. "Your injuries were extensive but with the right rest and therapy I see no problem in you being back to normal in a couple of months." He then stood back up and went back to finishing up his notes he was writing.

"You really did some damage," Derek teased her as he sat with her, "Too much damage."

"How much?" Penelope asked as she breathed in deeply trying to work out what injuries she was sporting. She looked back at Derek, waiting on the response, but could feel herself falling back to sleep. The drugs dulling every pain in her.

"Just a few broken bones and internal damage," Derek left a lot of the details out as he noticed her exhausted glance taking over. "You just sleep though, Princess. We'll talk more when you're a little more awake. Just remember I'm going to be with you all the way through this." He leaned in and gave her kiss on the lips, keeping it gentle, "This is our recovery."

He waited until she was dosing a little before he got up to talk to the doctor. He wanted to know what the prognosis was now for Penelope.

"I don't know how this happened," The doctor started to tell Derek as they stood just at the doorway. "I honestly believed that she wasn't going to survive this and even though I don't want to say we are truly out of the woods and well on the road to recovery, I want to see how her progress is over the next couple of days. For now she needs the least amount of stress possible, minimal visitors and as much as rest as possible." The doctor warned the man he had seen never leave the room for the last couple of days. "Her heart rates strong, her breathings still laboured but that's expected, but her vitals are all stable and she is very alert."

"She's going to be okay," Derek told the doctor confidently. He couldn't believe that Penelope would still die, that she could just slip away from this life.

"To be honest with you, I haven't seen a case like this in all my years practise, but I can't help but agree with you," The doctor agreed firmly and offered him a smile. "This is nothing short of a miracle and I want to keep it that way. If there are any problems, even if minor, I want a nurse alerted and if necessary I want to be paged."

Derek nodded and was left and he approached the bed and took Penelope's hand, her eyes opening a little. He hadn't expected her still to be awake, not with the amount of drugs in her system, but he wasn't wasting any more moments. He was done waiting and wasting them.

"Those shoes are waiting at mine for you to work your magic on," Derek teased, he had never been happier to see Penelope looking at him. Even though she hadn't said much, the smile she gave him made up a million words, "And I know you said things were changing big time, I didn't realise this was part of your plan."

Penelope closed her eyes at the pain and tiredness claiming her and then tried to look at him. "Nor did I, Handsome," She croaked at him and grimaced. "I-I love you," Penelope told him quietly and held his gaze, refusing to lose it for anything. "I used the shoes as an excuse because I bottled it."

"Oh Baby," Derek said and cupped her face, "Well I'm going to use the shoes to seal the deal," He teased her and watched the small smile grace her lips. "Never doubt my love for you, ever."

"If you don't doubt mine," Penelope whispered back as the urge to sleep finally took a hold of her body.

"Never," Derek said and kissed her gently. "Believe me, I never will."

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Waking up properly Penelope realised quickly that she had lied. She said she could taken anything in this life, take the recovery, take the consequences of the hit and run, but laying there she knew she couldn't. The tears coursed down her cheeks as the pains ripped through her body, and her body was a constant throb. It was as if the medication she had pumped into her body just were not hitting the right spots.

Walking in, Derek took her hand in his and waited for her to look at him. He was in for the long hall after all. "What's a matter, Baby Girl?" He asked her. He was still in disbelief that she was awake, especially after being told that she would probably never wake up.

"I –I," she said as the sobs came, "The pain." She finished and took a break as if talking was just too much for her at that moment, "It's too much." In all honesty, Penelope didn't think she would be able to cope with this amount of pain for much longer.

"You aren't doing any of this alone, Baby," he vowed. "This recovery is my recovery too, remember? For the mean time, you pain is mine. We're in this together, you get it?" He didn't lie about any of it, seeing her in so much pain was quite literally killing him.

Nodding a little, "Yeah," Penelope told him and squeezed her eyes shut against the pain.

"I'm going to go and talk to a nurse, see if there's anything else that can be done," He soothed her gently, showing her just how in to helping her he was. "This isn't normal to be in this amount of pain." He ran a hand around her face and captured her eye contact, "You be okay while I just pop out there?" Penelope nodded silently.

Closing her eyes to combat the tears, Penelope's thoughts were cast back to when she was with her mom and dad. Then she thought to when she had a chance to have five past memories and change them and she did and that final memory, her married to Derek Morgan and pregnant and she felt her mind deviate from the pain for a moment.

"Penelope," The nurse broke her thoughts, "I'm going to administer a higher dose of morphine to help with the pain. I'm also going to give you a sedative to help you sleep. I'll alert the doctor and see what he says. We need to get you as comfortable as possible," she told Penelope as Derek took to her side just as she administered the drugs. She looked up at Derek for a moment, "She'll be asleep pretty quickly if you wanna head home for a couple of hours."

"No it's fine, I'd rather stick around here," He told her truthfully and gave her a grateful smile. He watched her leave and looked at Penelope, "Feeling any better?" He asked her as he reached in and wiped her tears away.

Penelope nodded sleepily at him before trying to keep herself awake for a moment longer. "You're the reason I'm not dead," she told him, partially mumbled from the sleep invading her system. "I tried to accept it," she murmured quieter and quieter, her voice becoming a mere whisper. "I just couldn't-" Her eyes drooped shut then, "le-leave you."

She was asleep.

Derek pushed one of the lose curls back out of her face and smiled wistfully. He'd only gone to take a call from his mom; to tell her the news and in that time Penelope had woken up to whole new world of pain.

Feeling the tears falling, Derek fell into the seat by the bed and put his hands to his lips, thanking whoever it was that sent Penelope back to him.

He had dreamt so much that last couple of days about how she would wake up, but this wasn't in any of them. He might have dreamt a lot, but he was sure to tell her how he had relived moments in their life and gotten what he had wanted at the end of each of them.

He and Penelope were destined for a happily ever after no doubt about it.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	10. Nothing To Be Scared Of

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds!**

**A/N:** _Another chapter in the light of an alive Penelope! Hope you enjoy =) _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope breathed as she opened her eyes, sure that the freedom from pain meant that she had died during her medicated sleep. She was scared that she had bypassed limbo and was now waking up in heaven where she would remain. After all, she had told Derek she loved him, that had been in her hands. However, her life, like anyone else's, was all in the hands of God. No one held the power. He could've decided to take her after all.

As she became aware, she noticed there was calm around her, a minor hustle of activity to her left, darkness out at her right and there was the low hum and bleeps of several machines around her.

This wasn't heaven. She wasn't dead.

Breathing in, she felt the dullness of pains, but they were nowhere near as crippling as they were earlier and she was thankful for that. She tried to work out for herself what damage was really caused from the hit and run and the only conclusion she could make out were from the bandages and casts on her body was there was too much to verify. She knew it was bad when she felt a stiffness in her hips and back and knew there was going to be major damage there.

"You broke your pelvis," Derek's voice came husky and low, evident he had just woken up and had been watching. "The force of the car near enough broke you in half," He leaned in from his seat and gave her a half smile. "Impact fracture to your leg, major internal bleeding, collapsed lungs, broken cheekbone, blunt force trauma to the head," He quickly told her and he could tell he had done right by telling her everything. Derek sucked in a deep breath before continuing, "You lost a lot of blood and the doc said he lost you too many times on the table. When he came up to us, he told us that your body wasn't responding to any form of stimuli, you were clinically brain dead from the trauma sustained," Derek hadn't realised he was crying until a tear fell and hit his hand. "It was Hotch's decision to keep you on life support just for a couple of days," he looked up at her, "I seriously thought I had lost you."

"Oh Derek," Penelope said, she was barely with it and the overload of information had done nothing for her frame of mind. "Would it be any consolation if I said," She paused again, her throat closing up at the dryness, "heaven was lonely without you?"

She watched him smile at her and she smiled back weakly and slowly she put her IV bound hand out for him to take. She didn't have enough energy to finish it, but Derek took her hand and moved closer to her, kissing her knuckles intensely.

"You and those _damn_ shoes," He teasingly berated her and shook his head. "You couldn't have gone for a shop on our side of the road."

"I didn't expect someone to drive at that speed at a crossing," Penelope said back, "Plus," she swallowed deeply, "I was distracted."

"With?"

"You," She told him simply in her quiet tone. "You make me so happy, and I knew that if I didn't bottle it I'd be able to tell you everything."

"Shall I let you in on a little secret?" Derek asked and Penelope nodded at him, "I had dinner reservations for the next day, but I got stood up." He watched her face cloud with weary confusion, "You see, the girl I was taking on a proper date was getting beauty sleep." Derek told her and leant in, wiping away one of the few straggled tears that fell down Penelope's face. "Big things are happening between us, Penelope. They were things that I have never felt before were forming, and I realise now that what I've been searching for my entire life, has been stood in front of me the entire time."

Kissing her hand again he just looked at her for a moment, completely losing the words he had memorised all the time he thought he had no second chance. Now however, with her giving him the best amount of her energy he was just speechless. All words that were easily formed were used and all he could do was drink in her consciousness.

"I'm going to be sitting in front of you for a while," Penelope assumed teasingly and his concentration broke as he looked up at her. "I'm really not going anywhere."

"When you said you couldn't leave," Derek started to ask her, "What did you mean?"

Penelope breathed in deeply and smiled, "I saw them," She started to say softly, "My parents. I knew something had gone wrong, an-and I was there – in the road. I was screaming at you that'd I would be okay and I stood with you while the ambulance left, an-and then I was with them and it was so bright and painless, and then I was given an ultimatum."

Derek could sense her getting worked up over all of this, but he was so caught up that all he could think of was sensing Penelope around him the entire time he was panicking. Now he realised that she had been with him in some sense.

"Acceptance and then I'd get five memories," She said as she felt herself succumbing to the exhaustion that swamped her body. She closed her eyes briefly before continuing and smiled, "Then I was given one more memory. Just one thing that I had always wanted," She looked at him, her eyes so full of hope and dreams and then she smiled meekly, "It was perfect."

"What was it?" He asked her gently, "What was the memory?"

"Don't laugh," Penelope warned him, her gaze not so full of faith now. Derek agreed and took her hands, "We were married and we'd just found out I was pregnant."

Derek felt his breathing constrict, "Fill my dreams?" He whispered, more to himself than Penelope.

"What did you say?" Penelope asked and she pushed herself up a little up a little alert.

"You shouldn't be moving," Derek calmed her and took her hand in his, trying to hope the moment had passed and he didn't need to explain.

"Derek," She breathed out, "Please, just tell me."

He could see just how agitated she was becoming and he wanted her to calm, so he sighed and looked down at her hand. "Fill my dreams?" He questioned and looked back up at her.

Penelope bit her lip a little before replying, "I'll be there the moment you close your eyes, Handsome. Like always," She finished and just watched Derek's expression and gulped deeply as a tear travelled down her cheek just as she remembered how she felt whilst wrapped up in that memory. "You've just got to close your eyes."

Derek bolted upright, his expression somewhat wild whilst confusion gripped him fiercely, "Wha-wha-how did you know that?" He asked her and his eyebrows furrowed together. "No one knows that."

"That was my memory," Penelope whispered at him, "The one thing I always wanted, it was that."

Shaking his head, Derek stood up and paced, "It couldn't have been." He paused at the end of her bed and continued to look more than a little confused in that instance. "That was one of my dreams."

Penelope watched him, she wished she had the ability to just jump up and stop him, to hold him, to kiss him how she was literally yearning to do. Alas, she was trapped where she was and she only had the power of words to win him over.

"I only came back because they knew how much we loved one another. I was given one more chance because of what we felt," Penelope told him as he took up his notion of pacing back and forth. "I had to tell you that I'm in love with you or I run out of chances, Derek. It hurt so much to face the prospect of heaven without you and all I could think of was the woman that you'd marry and I don't know," She paused as she let out a sob, "I was scared that by the time you came to me, you wouldn't love me anymore and I'd just be all alone forever. I'm still scared."

Derek stopped pacing and went over to her; he sat on the bed and took her in his arms. He was easy and gentle with his handling of her fragile body but he had missed any proper form of contact with Penelope over the last few days. Even though she had been right in front of her, he needed to really feel her presence.

"We're going to grow old together, and when you go back, you'll have me and we'll just have to carry on what we started here there. There is never going to be another woman in my life. Not now, not ever."

He calmed her and then rested her back down, and he offered her a little smile and wiped the tears away swiftly.

"You've got nothing to be scared of anymore, Baby Girl."

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	11. Just What You Needed

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds!**

**A/N:**_ Later than my usual updates, enjoy though guys! Thanks for all the lovely reviews =)_

_Again, rush update, so all mistakes are mine_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope looked at the hustle and bustle that seemed to stream passed her hospital doorway intermittently and she couldn't help but sigh at it all. She was missing life and, right at that moment, she was missing Derek and the team. She hated that even with her in the hospital life just carried on. Murderers didn't stop with their heinous actions and psychos didn't take sabbaticals because she was now forced onto one.

She'd spent the last four days alone laid up – as always – and lived watching the TV, sleeping and reading the magazines she was building up from cover to cover. Having been trapped in the same room for well past two weeks, Penelope was beginning to tire of this recovery.

She wanted to tackle life and get on with her new found life with Derek.

She smiled intently as her gaze lifted to the ceiling and let her mind swim. Already her and Derek were steaming through a relationship. After giving her a first date right in the middle of her hospital room, she had decided that life was easily lost and she had no time to waste procrastinating and after sharing that thought with Derek, she realised that he was feeling exactly the same as her.

Now she was practically moved in with him and her want for freedom had only manifested as a result. She wanted to know what living with Derek Morgan was truly like.

For now she could only dream.

Dosing her mind was overcome with dreams and memories and she was lulled into a peaceful state. She lay perfectly still, listening intently around to all the buzz of activity, the hum of machines and just relished the tranquillity of it all. The painless state in which she was in for once. Just as she was about to slip off of the edge into a complete sleep she realised something in the room had changed and she slowly opened her eyes.

It didn't take long for her eyes to pick up Derek's form and she melted into a smile.

"Well don't you know how to surprise a girl?" Penelope asked him rhetorically as she breathed in and broke out into a tiresome yawn. "Definitely the best thing my eyes have taken in, in the last couple of days."

"I'm pretty sure you've been kept well entertained," Derek said self assured as he stepped into the room. "The nursing staff in here is very interesting."

"Well I do have a deliciously yummy nurse," Penelope teased affectionately, her voice still riddled with tiredness. "He's been keeping me very, very, very happy in your absence."

"You tryna hurt a man here?" Derek asked her as he rose an eyebrow at her.

Penelope giggled and nodded, "Well guess what?"

"What?" Derek asked back in an equally amused tone.

"I have another yummy nurse – this one's my favourite," Penelope continued to tease Derek and she could see he was getting a little envious over it. "Actually," she said and stopped and gave him a perplexed look, "He looks a lot like you."

"Really?" Derek questioned intrigued and stood his ground.

"Hmm, who'd of thought it eh, Handsome?" She said amused and played up the shock. "I guess Nurse Morgan is quite sexy on you."

Derek smirked and crossed the room, sitting on the side of her bed and leaning in towards her, "Doctor Morgan is sexier."

"Oh yes," Penelope purred at him, "Doctor Morgan is definitely more heart racing."

Derek chuckled as he watched her smiled up at him and he couldn't believe the change in her. The Penelope here was his baby girl, the one that graced his life daily for years and the one that had captured his heart from that first day. Before he had left she was still in pain and she was losing her sparkle.

Now, however, that seemed to be something of the past.

"Gonna stay or gimme a kiss?" She asked him simply and he watched her eyes sparkle with happiness. "You best believe I have missed me some chocolate kisses."

"Oh," Derek said and smirked at her greedily, "Guess I had better give my woman what she wants."

"Guess you best had," Penelope told him and felt her senses become over taken by Derek as he kissed her heavily and longingly and it was like their first kiss all over again.

A kiss that left her greedy for more.

"Derek?" Penelope asked as they settled down. Derek in the chair by her bed, her in her normal spot on the bed.

"Yeah, Baby?"

"You said you had dreams," Penelope started and looked at him, "I want to know what they were."

"Just moments, that's all," Derek told her and could tell that she wanted to know more, so he went and sat on the edge of her bed, giving her attention completely. "I was just getting what I wanted at different times in our lives, Pen. When we met, when you were shot, hell even with the whole Tamara mess – they just ended better, perfect even. Every time I dreamt I got you by the end of it."

"Shall I let you in on a little secret?" Penelope asked him as she took his hand in hers.

"Go for it."

Smiling wistfully, Penelope looked up from their joined hands, "I chose all three of those as part of my five to relive," She smiled at him brightly then, "Plus I chose when I had you all to myself as my bodyguard and that time in Alaska and I wished so much that they had happened."

"We're just scarily bound to one another," Derek said and leant in to grab a kiss. "Believe me, we'll be bound in death too."

"Now that is a death I'd go to with pleasure," Penelope teased him lovingly. "Your kisses might well be the death of me first, Handsome. Too much sugar cannot be good for me."

"Seems too many sweet things for the both of us could well kill us off," Derek teased her back. "Right," He started and stood up, "The team should be here in a bit, and I really need a drink. Is there anything you're fancying at all?" He laughed as she started to look thoughtful, "Apart from chocolate."

"I'll let you surprise me," Penelope told him simply and shifted a little and watched Derek jump in. "I can cope with a little shifting here and there, Derek. I have for the past couple of days."

"That was the last couple of days. Now's your time to allow me to help you out while I'm around," He told her lovingly and allowed her to settle down before he even contemplating kissing her goodbye before running out to get food. Now he knew he should have picked stuff up before going to her, but he was yearning to see her, hear her, feel her in his arms.

Walking back in he noticed Penelope was dosing and quietly sat down and watched her as she slept peacefully. He couldn't help but smile at the sight. It was like he had his own angel right before his eyes, a true miracle. Derek knew if he was asked what he would do differently in his life, it would be to tell Penelope earlier that he loved her. He wouldn't live with fear of losing her if he told her. Fate could steal her at any moment and he refused to let her go without knowing just how in love with her he was and how much he had already dreamt up their perfect future together.

Penelope slid her hand out to him to take and he obeyed and took it before looking up at her, "Thought you was sleeping."

"Mmm," She sounded as she closed her eyes as though they were still heavy with sleep. "All I seem to do lately is dose. I need a life."

Derek chuckled and brought her hand to his lips to kiss, "Oh, well that is going to happen soon. When you're out of here, you're going to have an entertained life."

"Please tell me it doesn't involved all day in front of the TV and books to keep me company while everyone works does it?"

Derek shook his head, "You're going to need someone to care for you, so you'll have us all swapping around. The director issued it."

"Oh right," She said and put her head to the side, "Now how often have you decided to be the one that is mostly around me?"

"Well, let's see, considering after this, you are never leaving my bed I'll be the one leading this recovery."

"Not interrupting are we?" Emily asked as she knocked on the door and offered Penelope a large smile, "We come barely gifts."

"I can see that," Penelope commented as she saw the large bouquets of flowers. "What do I owe you for it though?"

"It's more us apologising for taking so long to get back," JJ said as she followed suit and entered the room with the team behind her. "We actually want you home now though."

"As soon as I'm up and walking again, I get to start thinking about discharge papers," Penelope pointed out, "Until then, it's not even in my horizon." She let them down as she was showered with hugs and kisses, "For now you'll just have to make this my new home," She joked, lightening the mood.

"We can make this quite homey," Derek pointed out, "Flowers actually add a bit of life."

"Trying to say I'm not life enough?" Penelope played hurt to Derek.

"You're more than full of life you are," Derek told her back, "You're just fed up at the moment and it's kinder putting a dampener on you."

"Too true, but can you blame me?" She asked rhetorically looking around her room.

"How are you feeling apart from fed up?" Reid asked cautiously as he sat down, his mind too aware of her injuries.

"I don't really know," Penelope replied simply, "But at the moment I am too in love with morphine to care otherwise." She settled and smiled at them all, "Plus I feel a lot better now that I have my superheroes around." She paused and looked around at them, gaining serious, "When do you jet off again?"

Hotch looked around at the team then back to Penelope, "We've been grounded for a couple of days, week max." He saw Penelope's expression brighten, "We're going to be consulting and looking at cases in and around Quantico as of next week."

"As soon as your rehab starts up, you're going to need all of the support you can get, Baby," Derek continued, "Rossi went to Strauss, while Hotch and Emily went straight for the director. He understands about your family and what type of support network you need and he wants his best tech back to health-"

"And work," Rossi chucked in before Derek could finish.

Laughing, Derek nodded before carrying on, "And work as soon as humanly possible without you being pushed into it."

"You realise that's still a while off?" Penelope asked them incredulously as she swung her arm over her body. "It may or may not have been two weeks ago, but I'm still very much trapped here."

"It'll all happen in time," Hotch advised, "You just got to give it time."

"I have," Penelope replied, "Just bust me out and we can talk business."

"The only busting out you'll be doing, Penelope, is from that bed when we get you walking again," The doctor said, catching Penelope in her triad for freedom. "We'll be talking about that tomorrow," He continued as he entered completely, fully amused. "For now, how you feeling?"

Penelope realised yet again that she was thrown straight back into the routine of being a hospital patient all over again.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	12. From Heaven, With Love

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds!**

**A/N:**_ So you may or may not see an epilogue after this, but this is the final chapter! _

_Thank you all so much for reading, and reviewing, and alerting =) It had been more than a little appreciate! For now, enjoy this!_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope sat reading the paper; she could hear Derek whistling in the kitchen as he cleaned up from dinner the pair of them had sat and eaten together. She smiled as she looked around at what was claimed her new home. There were things of hers as they sat mingled in with things that were Derek's and she had never seen something more perfect before. Hers and Kevin's stuff just didn't fit right. Here, however, she felt like she had a home. A perfectly safe haven made for her by Derek.

Derek sauntered into the room with a grin on his face, and he stood watching her closely. "You've been living here too long to still get that look on your pretty little face, Baby Girl."

Looking over at him, she smirked as he stood with the apron still on looking like a true chef. "Should I take a picture and send to Mamma Morgan so she knows that there aren't any house calls from the fire department?"

"Not funny," He replied teasingly. "No dessert for you."

"Oh, believe me, my eyes eat dessert every time they look at you, Stud Muffin," Penelope chirped back and gave him her best seductively wink.

"Right you," He started and took the apron off, throwing it into the kitchen, "I've got something for you."

"Oh yeah?" Penelope queried, completely intrigued in that moment, "Am I going to like?"

"It's something you seemed to have forgotten about," He told her and he left her alone as he ran up the stairs. Coming back down with his hands behind his back, he gave her a daring look as he took to the other side of the dining table.

Penelope eyed him up and down, trying to decipher what the hell he was up to.

"Ready to try these out?" Derek asked as he put the pair of purple satin heels with the multiple coloured jewels on their front on the table top.

Penelope pulled a face, "I don't know, Handsome. I'm barely stable on my own bare feet."

"You're trying these out," Derek told her and stood to move around to her side, grabbing the left heel as he went. "Don't even begin to argue with me here, Penelope."

"Okay," She relented and watched him cautiously.

Penelope hadn't known that Derek had spoken to her physiotherapist after her last session. She didn't know he had spoke to her doctor after her previous appointment and she didn't know he had planned this with such fine precision that nothing could go wrong. She was okayed to do most jobs, and as long as she didn't wear them twenty four seven her physiotherapist had no problem with her wearing heels this early on in recovery.

Derek didn't want her in them for the rest of the evening. He just wanted to see them on her.

It might have taken nearly another two months to get her to this point, but he was going to give her a glorious moment of life and allow her to live a part of her life that was just waiting around the corner for her.

So he knelt in front of her, pulled at her trouser legs and rolled the soft material up to her knees, leaving her bare legs in the open. He ran he hand down her calves gently massaging them in his large hands, soothing her, relaxing her as she watched on apprehensively.

Penelope watched as Derek gently lifted her foot and tilted it ready for the incline of the heel and slowly he slipped the shoe on and felt as he fitted Penelope's foot perfectly. Smiling, he grabbed the other heel and made quick work to put that one on in very much the same manner.

Looking up, he saw the apprehensive look on Penelope's face as she weighed up the end result of this moment. Yet Derek didn't still his task, he didn't hold back. He stood from his crouched position and took her hands in his before smoothly bringing her to stand up.

Shaking, Penelope's mind was consumed with how her body was going to cope with this, especially after she had basically taken the time to learn to get the appropriate strength back into her legs.

Yet she remained standing.

Even with Derek's hands on her, she didn't feel herself falter or sway. She just stood there comfortably and perfectly. She couldn't help but smile at the feeling she got from this moment and, once again, she had Derek to thank for it entirely.

"Wanna sit down?" He asked her a couple of minutes later acknowledging the strain.

"So bad!" She exclaimed with a small laugh and allowed her to walk alone over to the couch before watching her sit down gingerly. Even though she had loved the sense of her life coming back - her Garcia flare restoring - she still didn't want to push it and she could feel the tension on her sore, healing body.

Derek didn't waste time to claim his seat next to her. "You just needed a little confidence," Derek told her as he pulled he put his arm around her and pull her legs up onto his lap. "There's nothing to be afraid of, Sweetness. You're basically there with recovery; we just need to get you back into your stride again."

Smiling meekly, Penelope looked down at her heels, forgetting all about her worries and concerns. She tilted her foot to the side and then showed it off at him, "They really are a perfect fit."

"Did you really ever doubt it?" Derek asked her amused.

"Of course not, otherwise I wouldn't have bee lined for these babies when that shop was full with amazingly delicious heels."

"Amazingly delicious huh?" Derek asked as he pulled her close to his chest, "Much like their owner then."

Penelope couldn't resist a giggle as Derek kissed her fiercely. Even as they drew apart, they want for one another just seemed to magnetise them, drawing them back for a second kiss.

Derek pulled her legs up onto his lap again as they slipped a little after they were sated with one another, "Comfortable?" He asked her and watched her nod as she closed her eyes to sleep that had been waiting on her to stop doing anything important. He knew this recovery was tiring and he knew it was long, but right now, he could see an end.

Laying a hand on her shin, he looked at the purple heels with the jewels on the front and smiled.

He nearly lost Penelope because of those shoes, but he'd completely gained her due to them as well. For that he would make sure that they had a perfect place in their closet.

"I think it's time we got you to bed, Baby," Derek whispered at Penelope as he realised it was getting late. He had been so consumed with thought that he hadn't seen the time whiz past. He took Penelope's mumbled groan in protest as her not wanting to move and so he moved her legs off of his lap and stood. Turning he watched her for a moment, her body collapsed on the couch, her face serene and peaceful with exhaustion.

Without a second thought Derek bent down and gathered her in his arms and headed for the stairs. Since Penelope had lived with him this seemed to be a regular once she had eaten and taken her pain meds and he had to say, he loved it. He loved it so much that he dreamt regularly about when he would get to carry her over that threshold as man and wife.

For now, he could cope with just doing this. After all, how could a man that was claimed hero by the love of their life hate carrying his own damsel in distress, his very own princess to bed?

Simple, he couldn't.

"Just remember one thing about our love, Derek," Penelope mumbled to him sleepily, "It's heaven sent."

Derek didn't know what had caused her to say it, but he didn't care, it was things like this that made him smile the most. The things Penelope said when she was half asleep were the true depths of her love, and she always remembered long enough to reiterate them to him in the morning.

"Oh believe me, that's one thing I always knew," Derek affirmed as he carried her up the stairs and into their bed, taking each new step softly. "Now there's just nothing to deny that."

"Mmm," Penelope mumbled in her sleepy state before saying one thing that he knew was going to stick with him for life, "From heaven, with love."

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**The End**

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:**

**~*~ Profiler's Choice 2011 Fanfic Awards for the Criminal Minds Community ~*~**

**Hosted by ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969**

_It is our pleasure to announce the Second Annual Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards for the Criminal Minds community! _

_The nomination ballot is now available, and all rules are posted on Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum! Nomination ballots must be received by October 15, 2011 and must be sent to this PM at Profiler's Choice CM Awards. Fics for consideration must have appeared on the CM section of between September 1, 2010 and August 31, 2011 (see rules for full details.)_

_Please read all rules prior to submitting ballots! Please PM at Profiler's Choice CM Awards with any questions._

_*******_** SPECIAL NOTE: For whatever reason, disabled the Profiler's Choice Awards PM system. That means all attempts to submit ballots failed from September 11 - 16. Could you all please help spread the word that anyone who tried to submit a ballot during this period listed above should RESEND their submissions. I am very sorry for any inconvenience this has caused. We really need help reaching all the different ships out there though. So, PLEASE, those willing to help, let me know if you can include this as part of your author's notes to readers.*****


	13. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds!**

**A/N:**_ Epilogue for you guys!_

_Sorry for no review replies, I'm literally writing this so I can get to bed and get up for my first day back at Uni! As usual, you know I love hearing from you and thank you for ALL the reviews =)_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"So this is it?" Derek asked simply as he walked away from Penelope's side "Nothing special, Baby."

"I didn't say it was did I?" Penelope asked Derek back as she looked around and realised this place

"My own heaven back home was better than this," Derek pointed out smugly as he wrapped his arms around Penelope. "Was there something wrong with old Mrs Morgan?"

Penelope looked at him, "Something wrong with old Mr Morgan?" She asked him back as they both realised they were reformed to a younger look, and from looking at one another it seemed to be at the prime of their love for one another.

"Not at all," He told her and kissed her softly and lovingly. He definitely had better stamina now that they had both lost a good forty plus years!

Keeping this moment, both Derek and Penelope never thought that they would both go to heaven together. After all, all they had done was go to sleep like they did every night, but instead of waking up to their bedroom, now they woke up to whiteness everywhere.

A place more than a little familiar to Penelope.

"You two going to cool down for a moment or two?" Derek's mom, Fran, called out, interrupting the pair.

"Yeah, we have a job to do here," Penelope's mom called out after teasingly.

The pair turned to look at the women and both were confronted with their parents. Derek looked at his father and couldn't help but feel the tears begin to well up, and then when he saw how happy his mom was he thought how perfect this all was. All of a sudden he had a yearning, an urgent need to wrap both his parents up in a hug and lavish having both of them around again.

Penelope looked at her parents and this time she felt ready to greet them. After being granted her happily ever after, she was ready for her new life to begin. Even if it was strange and surreal. Standing in her father's embrace she watched Derek as he took a moment alone and she smiled and looked at his dad and realised just how like his father Derek was to look at.

Turning, Derek put his hand out to Penelope, "Come here, Baby, seems we can finally meet the people that we really wanted to meet." Taking her hand he pulled her close, "Dad, this is Penelope."

"Oh I know all about you," Derek's father told them proudly. "Thank you for keeping my boy on the right side of life."

Smiling at him, Penelope felt the blush spread across her street, "Someone had to do it and he would never dare go against his Baby Girl." She teased and Derek tugged her closer and kissed her temple, "Now you need to meet my parents," She spoke up excitedly. She had begged for this moment and now she had it completely in front of her. Once that was over, she felt the seriousness of this take over. "It's time isn't it?"

"Afraid so, Honey," Penelope's father spoke strongly.

"You two have five memories to relive," Fran said as she stepped forward with Rachel, Penelope's mom. "They're both yours to take."

Penelope smiled and walked to take Derek's side once more, "Derek can have his, but I don't need to relive anything," She smiled at them all, "Not anymore." Everyone looked at her questioningly, but Derek seemed to understand. "I lived the memories I wanted, and I got everything from life that I ever wanted. I don't need to relive them to remember them."

"I have nothing to relive," Derek quickly spoke up. "I dreamt what I needed to with my girl, and I got everything out of marrying her. I don't need to do that part."

Everyone couldn't deny that the pair loved one another. Even without watching over them for all of these years they could tell from just looking at them. The years before had just been filled in with undying love, and they had seen the best love form when Penelope had finally woken up after being hit by that car. They had seen a recovery that was clocked with love and adoration and hope and the following years had only strengthened it all.

"Okay, you still get one memory though," Rachel told them. "They are the rules. It's yours if you want it."

Penelope went to object, but Derek quickly spoke first.

"There is one thing I'd like to have," Derek spoke up and turned to Penelope. "Even you'd want this one, Baby Girl."

Penelope looked intrigued and rose her eyebrows, "And what would this be?"

He leant in, their lips near touching, their eyes staring intensely, "One more day on the porch – _grandbaby sitting_."

The emotions that erupted inside of her was phenomenal. She had rushes of every emotion viable. Her heart pounded to see Derek old and still as handsome as ever, and she yearned to feel hugs from their children and grandchildren and she wanted nothing more than to have one more day as they sat on their porch and looked out as their grandchildren played and basked in the afternoon sun.

"One more day," She affirmed and her face broke free all the happiness and excitement she was feeling.

As much as she wanted to be back in her life, with her family her and Derek had made, she couldn't deny that having Derek by her side in heaven made the prospect of all of this perfection in itself.

All it took was one blink and Penelope was back in her old life, her youngest grandchildren in front of her messing around happily and she fell into small smile as she just casual watched on.

"Hey Beautiful," She heard a deep, husky tone call from her side and she stole her attention to look. "We're back," Derek grinned at her and gave her a wink.

Now this really was a perfectly heaven sent moment.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- From Heaven, With Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:**

**~*~ Profiler's Choice 2011 Fanfic Awards for the Criminal Minds Community ~*~**

**Hosted by ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969**

_It is our pleasure to announce the Second Annual Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards for the Criminal Minds community! _

_The nomination ballot is now available, and all rules are posted on Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum! Nomination ballots must be received by October 15, 2011 and must be sent to this PM at Profiler's Choice CM Awards. Fics for consideration must have appeared on the CM section of between September 1, 2010 and August 31, 2011 (see rules for full details.)_

_Please read all rules prior to submitting ballots! Please PM at Profiler's Choice CM Awards with any questions._

_*******_** SPECIAL NOTE: For whatever reason, disabled the Profiler's Choice Awards PM system. That means all attempts to submit ballots failed from September 11 - 16. Could you all please help spread the word that anyone who tried to submit a ballot during this period listed above should RESEND their submissions. I am very sorry for any inconvenience this has caused. We really need help reaching all the different ships out there though. So, PLEASE, those willing to help, let me know if you can include this as part of your author's notes to readers.*****


End file.
